Electric connecter



May-10, 1938. E. A. LARssoN W ELECTRIC CONNECTER Filed Feb. 1e, 19:57

flor ne y ERNST LESSON Patented May 1o, 193s 2,117,029

UNITEDl sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CONNECTER l Ernst A. Larsson, Mansiield, Ohio. assignor to The Ohio Brass Company, Manslield, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 16, 1937, Serial No. 126,012

4 claims. (C1. rial-332) My invention relates to couplers and particuis connected directly to the spring advanced conlarly to electric couplers for connecting conductact member; thus, the contactor and the cable tors of one car with the conductors of a coupled must move simultaneously. car. To over-come the diilculty mentioned above, I

The use of electric couplers on cars both indehave devised a construction in which the con- 5 pendent. of and in combination with mechanical tact member at the front end of the coupler is couplers is old, but under both conditions there free to reciprocate `independent of the cable. has been dilculty in maintaining a constant thus when there is a tendency for the contactors connection between the electric couplers at all to reciprocate for the reasons mentioned above.

io `time, and one object of my invention is to prothe advancing spring will maintain the contact vide a new and improved form of electric coupler members in coupled relation regardless of how over-coming this diincult much stress may be placed on the cable from the My invention resides in the new and novel accumulation of ice or for other reasons. construction, combination, and relation of the In the preferred embodiment of my invention,

various parts hereinafter described and shown I employ a Support l Which may be of various 15 in the accompanying drawing. forms and constructions and which I have shown In the drawing; as supported from a mechanical car coupler 2 Fig. 1 shows a face view of an electric coupler by means of the bolts 3. In Fig. 1, I have shown having incorporated therein my invention and the Support as a easing l equipped With three attached tc amechanicai car coupler, electric connecters 4, but any number may be 20 Eig. 2 is a, view in partial section on the line used to meet requirements. The car coupler 2 2 .2 of Em 1 holds the cooperating electrical connecters on Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in partial section two coupled cars in connected relation. of two electric couplers having incorporated The Casing I is provided With registering opentherein a portion of my invention, in coupled reings 5 and 6. the latter being shown as threaded. lation. Mounted in the opening 5 is an insulating bushing Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 1 having a cavity 8 in which is mounted a con- 4-4 of Fig. 2. tactor 9 having a. head I Il and stem Il.

Fig. 5 is a view of a single coupling unit of The contactor reciprocates in the cavity 8 and 3 a type in common use and previously referred to is yieldingly held in its advanced position by 30 herein. means of the spring I2. The contactar 9 is pre- In rounding curves there is a decided side or vented from advancing beyond a predetermined lateral strain to the two coupling units holding amount by means of a nut or collar I3 pinned to the cars mechanicallyincoupled relation. Where the end 0f the Stem Il and abutting against the the electric coupleris attached to the mechanical end face of the bushing 1. The bushing 7 1S coupler this side strain is also transmitted to the provided with a flange Il which butts against electric coupler. the inner adjacent face of the casing I preventing The eiect of this side strain tends to separate the bushing advancing. the electric contacts of the electric coupler on Mounted upon the projecting end of the bushv lo the far side of the coupler from the center of ing iSaSeeOnd insulating bushing l5 Which plo- 40 curvature of the track. `jects rearwardly and through the opening 6 and Under normal operations this slight relative is provided with shoulders I6 and I'I. The bushmovement of the electric couplers on one side will inf. l5 iS held in position by means 0f the metal not open the circuit from car to car with the com bushing I 8 which is adjustably held in position 5 mon type of coupler (see Fig. 5), but it is foundV by threads cooperating with the threads of the 45 that particularly in the winter time when the opening 6. The bushing I8 is provided with a cable leading to the coupler becomes loaded with flange I9 which butts against the adjacent outer ice due to condensation and freezing of leaking' face of the casing I. 'I'he inner face of the bush- Steam that the weight of such ice formation on ing I8 engages the shoulder I6 on the insulating D the cable and the stillness of the cable will not bushing I5, thus xedly holding the bushing I5 50 permit the contact member of the coupler to in advanced position and in turn xedly holding operate freely under the action of the advancing the bushing l in its advanced Position. spring, thus causing the circuit to open at lthe Mounted within the bushing I5 at its rear end contacts under the conditions mentioned.y is a collar 20 having a projecting stem 2l which i It will be noted in Fig. 5 that the conductor is semi-circular and cross-section. Secured to 55 the contactor heads '2 and 5, it will be apparent the stem 2| by means of a bolt 22 is a cable connecter 23. The cable connecter has a flange 24 which holds the cable connecter '23 and the parts 20 and 2| against relative to the insulating bushing I5.

The conducting portion 25 of the cable 26 is secured in the socket portion of the connecter 23 and in order to maintain the connection free from dirt, moisture, etc., a flexible rubber sleeve 21 is secured to the end of the bushing I5 by means of a clamp 29 and is secured to the outer surface of the cable insulation 29 by means of a clamp 30.

In order to electrically connect the cable 26 to the contact 9, I employ a plurality of very flexible conductors 3| having their ends secured to the members I3 and 20 as by means of welding or through the medium of a soldered connection. These flexible members 3| permit reciprocating movement of the member 9 relative to the casing I, The members |3 and'20 might be electrically connected by means of an interposed helical spring, but such a connection would be of very low efliciency and would not conduct large currents which applicants construction is intended for and which it will accomplish eillciently.

In order to maintain the abutting surfaces of I0 in as clean a condition as possible, I mount upon the projecting front end of the bushing 1 aexible rubber sleeve 32 held in place by the clamp 33. The bushing 32 abuts against the corresponding bushing on the counter-part coupler and the tendency is for these bushings to buckle more or less as shown in Fig. 3, thus insuring a sealed joint.

By comparing the construction shown in Figs.

that the cable ycannot inuence in any manner the movement of the contactor 9. The members 3| are so exlble that they readily yield under the reciprocal movement of the contactor 9.`

Modications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art basedupon my disclosure and, therefore, I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claimz- 1. An electrical connecting device .comprising a metallic support having a front and a rear Wall and registering openings through the walls, an insulating bushing extending through one opening, a second insulating bushing extending through the other opening and held in position by a bushing threadedly secured in the said otheropening, the last said bushing holding the said second bushing against longitudinal movement in one direction and the said second bushing holding the said first bushing against longitudinal movement in the same direction and the first bushing held against longitudinal movement in the other direction by the support, the rst bushing forming an apertured opening within the second bushing, a cable connecter secured to the rear end of the said second insulating bushing against longitudinal movement in either direction, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the first said bushing and projecting into the said second bushing, means on the reciprocating contactor and engaging the said shoulder of the rst bushing to limit movement of the contactor in one direction, and a spring yleldingly holding the contactor in its advance position, exible means within the second bushing electrically connecting the cable connecter and the conlongitudinal movement tactor, the first and second bushing insulating the conductors from the support and means to suspend the support from a car.

2. An electrical connecting device comprising a metallic support having a front wall and a rear wall and registering openings through the walls, insulating bushings extending through the openings, means to hold the bushings in xed relation to the support, a terminal member at one end of one bushing and projecting Within and without the bushing and having means to receive a cable, an insulating bushing to protect the last said means, a reciprocating contactor mounted within one end of the other bushing and projecting from the bushing, the bushings insulating the terminal member and contactor from the support, means to yieldingly hold the contactor in its advanced position to engage a contactor on a counterpart device, exible means positioned within the bushings to electrically connect the contactor and the terminal member.

3. An electrical connecting device comprising a metallic support member having a front and a rear wall with registering openings through the walls, an insulating bushing extending through the openings, a reciprocating contactor mounted in the said bushing at one end thereof and insulated from the support member by the bushing, the contactor projecting from the end of the bushing, means to yieldingly advance the contactor into engagement with a contactor on a cooperating connecting device and maintain said engagement, means to support the said support memberv and to cooperate with like means on a cooperating connecting device to yieldingly hold the connecting device in operative relation, means on the bushing to engage one wall and adjustable means cooperating with the other wall to engage the bushing to hold the bushing mounted in position in the wall openings, a connecter mounted Within the bushing adjacent the end remote from the contactor, a exible member positioned within the bushing and connecting the contactor and connecter, means on the connecter-to receive a cable and the end of the bushing extending beyond the connecter to enclose the connection oi the cable to the connecter.

4. An electrical connecting device comprising a metallic support having a front wall and a rear wall and registering openings through the walls, an insulating bushing extending through the openings, means to hold the bushing in xed relation to the support, a terminal member at one end of the bushing and projecting within and without the bushing and having means to receive a cable, a reciprocating contactor mounted within and projecting without the other end of the bushing, the bushing insulating the terminal member and the contactor from the metallic support, means to yieldingly hold the contactor in its advanced position to engage a contactor on a counterpart device, flexible means positioned within the bushing to electrically connect .the contactor and the terminal member, and a ilexible bushing surrounding the exposed end of the contactor but leaving the end face of the contactor exposed, the flexible bushing engaging a like bushing on a counterpart device toprotect two contactors while in engagement.

ERNST A. LARSSON. 

